The present invention relates generally to guide arrangements for ropes and the like and relates more particularly to a molded plastic rope guide for attachment to the extruded handle of a lawn mower.
Small power lawn mowers of the type powered by an internal combustion engine typically are started by means of a recoil starter which includes a rope terminating in a small handle. Although early model mowers usually located the starter rope handle directly on the engine, more recently the preferred location for the starter handle is on the mower handle where it can be reached from the operator's walk-behind position. This location is particularly preferred with mowers which automatically shut off the engine when the operator releases the handlebar operating lever, and which thus require frequent restarting.
In order to maintain the rope and handle within reach of the operator, some form of rope guide is required on the handle, and this conventionally has been either mounted directly to one of the pairs of longitudinal handle members, or to a cross member extending between the handle members. Since the conventional mower handle is made of round tubular steel stock, the rope guide is typically through-bolted to one of the tubular handle members.
Newer mower designs are utilizing handles of irregular extruded shapes rather than the conventional round tubular shape. For example, a C-shaped extrusion is presently being utilized which permits the mounting of the engine and mower control cables within the handle members. With the use of such handle shapes, it is no longer feasible to through-bolt the rope guide to a handle member, since the handle member size and shape would not support such fastenings without compromising the strength of the handle, and cables within the handle member would interfere with such fastenings.